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Some people are not cut out to be
entrepreneurs. This is a good thing, or the business world would
be chaos, with everyone trying to do their own thing. So what
about you? How do you know if you should be running your own
company, or concentrating on that queue of work that someone else
has built for you?

I’ve hit this before, but I still hear from too many unhappy
entrepreneurs. Now is the time to put aside your fantasies, and
take a hard look at who you really are, before you commit to the
entrepreneurial lifestyle. If you recognize yourself in many of
these quotes, you WILL NOT be happy in that lifestyle:

“I like my life structured with clear
decisions.” Entrepreneurs do not function well in
traditional organizations and do not like being in the
conventional management hierarchy. Most believe they can do
the job better than anyone else and will strive for maximum
responsibility and accountability.

“Handling problems causes me stress and
pressure.” To an entrepreneur, stress is part of the
job, and they are re-invigorated rather than discouraged by
setbacks. They may actually be less comfortable when things
are going well, and are not troubled by ambiguity and
uncertainty because they are used to solving problems.

“My job is fun when everyone knows and does their
job.” The best entrepreneurs relish the challenge of
an undefined role, and enjoy the learning process as much as
success. It’s even better when they can inspire and energize
others to do things that have never been done before.

“I like to put my mistakes behind me and never think
about them again.” Entrepreneurs accept things as
they are and deal with them accordingly. They are quick to
learn from their failures. They may or may not be idealistic,
but they are seldom unrealistic. They want to know the status
of a given situation at all times.

“Balance and family are everything in my
life.” Entrepreneurs devote the largest share of
their time to the business. During tough business periods,
they will give their entire focus to business operations, and
may essentially stay on the job for days. Even at home or at
social events, the business is always top of mind.

“It didn’t get done today, but there’s always
tomorrow.” Entrepreneurs have a great sense of
urgency to develop their ideas now. Inactivity makes them
impatient, tense, and uneasy. They have drive and high energy
levels, they are achievement-oriented, and they are tireless
in the pursuit of their goals.

“That’s not my job.” Successful
entrepreneurs love to tackle complex situations that span the
spectrum from planning, making strategic decisions, and
working on multiple operational crises simultaneously. They
are futuristic and aware of important implications, and they
will continuously review alternatives to achieve their
business objectives.

“I love to get awards for my efforts.”
Entrepreneurs find satisfaction in the trappings of success
from external sources, like the media and peer organizations.
They like the business they have built to be praised, but
they are often embarrassed by praise directed at them
personally.

“I get frustrated when things don’t work.”
Entrepreneurs have a "never, never, never quit" attitude.
They are self-confident when they know what they're doing and
in control. Most are at their best in the face of adversity,
since they thrive on their own self-confidence.

“Risk and uncertainty cause me to lose too much
sleep.” Some of the best entrepreneurs talk about
the highs they get from taking a big risk, and the euphoria
they feel when they beat the odds. They live for these
feelings.

If you are an employee, and you recognize your boss in the
quotes, you probably are not a happy employee. If you recognize
your CEO or business founder in the quotes, then your business is
probably failing. That’s how important it is for the right people
to be in the right category.

In my experience, the most unhappy people are the ones who
clearly fit in one category, but for various reasons believe they
need to be in the other one (entitlement, more money, more
prestige, family pressures). My message is do what you enjoy.
Life is too short for the alternative.